Connector with wire insulation penetrating means



Sept. 6, 1960 H. HUBB-ELL ET AL 2,952,004

CONNECTOR wm-x WIRE INSULATION PENBTRATING-MEANS Filed April 29, 1958 u ll nn 2 m1 6-2,

2 IN VENTORS m ATTORNEYS- CONNECTOR WITH WIRE INSULATION PENE- TRATING MEANS Harvey Hubbell and Benjamin C. Webster, Southport, Conn, assignors to Harvey Hubbell, Incorporated, Bridgeport, Conm, a corporation of'Connecticut Filed Apr. 29, 1958, Ser. No. 731,842

6 Claims. (Cl. sca -97 This invention relates to electric wiring devices, particularly means for connecting conductor wires to the electrical contacts in these devices, and has for an object to provide means for connecting the conductor or lead wires to the contacts in which it is not necessary to strip the insulating covering from the wire in making the contion for conductor wires to electrical contacts in which in making the connection it is merely necessary to insert a free end of the conductor into position for the connection, and then secure it and make the electrical connection by merely setting of a screw.

Another object is to provide a connection of this character in which the electrical contacts to whichthe conductor Wire is to be connected and the means forconnecting the wire to these contacts, with the exception of the 'screw,

may be stamped from a strip of flat sheet metal'and then bent or formed to shape.

-With the foregoing and other objects in view, we-have devised the construction illustrated in the-accompanying drawing forming a part of-this specification. It is, however, to be understood the invention isnot limitedto-the specific details of construction and arrangement shown,

in the scope of the invention.

In this drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a duplex outlet receptacle with a portion of the front part of the body broken away to more clearly show the construction;' p

Fig. 2 is a partial side elevation and partialjlongitudinal section, the section being substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. l;

'Fig. 3 is a partial transverse section substantially on line 33 of'Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan viewon a reduced scale;

Fig. 5 is a side or plan view of the contacts .and the conductor wire connecting means employed in this receptacle;

Fig. 6 is a transverse section thereof substantially on line 66-'of Fig 5;

Fig. 7 is a'plan'view of a'blank which may be stamped from a strip of sheet metal to produce the structure of Fig.5,and

Fig. 8 is a similar view showing a slight modification.

This improved no-strip wiring means for connecting conductor wires to the electrical contacts of electric-wiring devices is shown an d describedin connection with a duplex outlet receptacle, but it is to be understood this conductor connecting means may be used to connect the conductor wires to the electrical contacts of other types of electric wiring devices, such, for example, as single outlet receptacles, connectors for use with attachments,

but may embody various changes and modifications with- Patented'Se'pt. e, 1960 ice aligned chambers or recesses 13 and 14 respectively, in'

which are mounted receptacle contacts 15 connected by an intermediate conductor bar or strip 16, extending between and connecting these contacts. The contacts are mounted at the inner side of and in alignment with contact blade inlet slots 17 in the front wall of the body for insertion of the blade contacts of attachment plug caps or plugs to secure electrical connection with the receptacle contacts. The usual yoke 18 is provided for mounting the receptacle in a wall outlet box (not shown), including a strip 19 along the back and ends of the body and outwardly extending ears or lugs 20 for securing it in the outlet box by the usual screws. The two body members 11 and 12 and the yoke may be secured together by a transverse screw or bolt 21 extending through these members.

The contacts 15 may be of any suitable type, but :in the arrangement shown comprise three spring fingers extending laterally from one edge of a common connecting strip 22 and are bent to shape so that, as shown in Fig. 5, they are located at the opposite ends of and laterally to one side of the intermediate connecting bar or strip 16, and the three fingers are arranged with two of them 23 side by side, and a third or intermediate finger 24 arranged at one side of thefingers 23 to guideand retain a contact blade in position between the fingers 23 and engage one edge thereof. I

The means for connecting a conductor wire to these contacts is formed with' the intermediate conductor bar -or strip 16, and comprises a laterally extending lug 25. This lug is integral with bar or strip 16 and is bent laterally therefrom at its upper edge. This lug is pro- .vided with one or more transverse openings 26, the lug being wide enough for two laterally spaced openings, as shown in Figs. 5 and 7, or it is narrower for a single opening, as shown in Fig. 8. This opening may be of different shapes, but is preferably of generally rectangular shape, with an outer curved edge 27 at the outer or free end of the lug, with a central pointed lug 28 havingoppositely inclined side edges 29 terminating in a point 30 facing toward the connecting conductor bar 16. Extending upwardly from the top edge of the bar 16 is an ear or lug 81 extending through each opening 26 in the lug .25, this lug 3-1 being formed by-slitting the lug 25 on opposite sides, as indicated at 32, so that when bending the lug 25 laterally from the strip 16 the lugs 31 are left in place extending upwardly from and in the same 1 and preferably in substantially the plane of the lug'25 is the attaching screw 33. This locates the screw with its free end opposed to and in substantial alignment with the point 30 of the lug 28. The strips 16, 22 and 16a can be stamped'in one piece from a strip of sheet metal and then formed or bent to the form of Fig. 5 to complete'the contact unit.

In securing a conductor wire to this contact structure, the screw is retracted and the wire inserted between the free end of the screw and the pointed lug 28. The. insulating covering may be stripped from the wire, but this is not necessary. as the wire 34 with its insulating covering, may be inserted in this position, as shown'in Figs. 1 and 3. Then by setting up the screw, its free or inner end is pressed against a side of the wire 34, and it presses this wire against the pointed end of the lug 28. This forces the point of this lug through the insulation into direct contact with the metal wire, thus effecting electrical connection from the wire to the lug 25 and the contacts 15. The combination of this pointed lug and the screw also effects a good mechanical connection for the wire to the electrical contact. If the contacts 15 and the intermediate. conductor bar 16 are enclosed within the insulating body, the rear body member 12 may be provided with an opening35 through its rear wall in alignment with the opening 26 in the lug 25 for insertion of the conductor'wire, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, and an opening 36 may be provided in the side wall of the body for the head and outer portion of the screw, by which the screw is accessible for manipulation by a screw driver in setting up the screw to make the electrical and mechanical connection from the lead wire to the receptacle c ntacts, or to disconnect this connection. The opposed faces of the two body members 11 and 12 may be provided with opposed channels 37 and 38 extending between contact chambers 13 and 14 to receive the opposite edges of the intermediate conductor bar 16 and lugs 31 to position and hold this bar and the contacts 15 in proper position within the body. With the two openings 26 in the lug 25 a pair of conductor wires may be connected to each strip 16 for through electrical connection to the wall box, or if a single opening is used in the corresponding lug 25a, as shown in Fig. 8, a single wire may be connected to each connecting bar 16a. The effect and means of securing the wire to the contact 15 is the same in both cases.

It will be seen from the above that this device provides a very simple and effective means for effectively connecting the conductor wires to the electrical contacts in the wiring device, and one in which it is unnecessary to strip the insulating covering from the wires before making these connections, as all that is necessary is to insert the wire, with its insulating covering, in place into its position in the opening in the lug 25 between the pointed lug 28 and the screw 33, and then set up this securing screw. This action automatically forces the sharp point of the lug 28 through the insulating covering to engage the metallic conductor wire and provide an effective electrical contact therewith. At the same time, this point with the screw effects a secure mechanical con- :nection of the conductor wire to the electrical contacts,

and one that is not apt to become loosened in operation. This connection can be easily and quickly accomplished as it is not necessary to strip the covering from the wire and it is not necessary to wrap the wire around the shank of the screw.

Having thus set forth the nature of our invention, we claim: I

1. An electric wiring device comprising an electric contact, means for connecting a conductor wire to the contact comprising a bar connected to the contact, a lug extending laterally from said bar in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the bar provided with an opening therethrough adapted for insertion of the conductor wire transversely of the lug and parallel to the bar, the outer end edge of said opening facing the bar comprising a pointed portion adapted to pierce an insulating covering on the wire and engage the Wire, and a screw threaded into an opening in the bar in communication with the opening in the lug and in position to engage the wire on the opposite side from said edge and press the Wire against said pointed portion to effect said engagement with the wire and connect the wire to the contact.

2. An electric wiring device comprising an electriccontact, means for connecting a conductor wire to the contact comprising a substantially flat bar connected to the con-tact, a substantially fiat lug extending laterally from the bar in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the bar and provided with an opening therethrough for insertion of a conductor wire transversely of the lug, the opposite edge of the opening from and facing the bar comprising an inwardly extending pointed portion adapted to pierce an insulating covering on the wire and engage the wire to effect an electrical contact therewith, and a screw threaded into an opening in the bar communicating with the opening in the lug and located in substantially the plane of the lug with its free end opposite said pointed portion in position to engage the wire on the opposite side thereof from said pointed portion and press the wire against said pointed portion to efiect said electrical contact and connect the wire to the first contact.

3. An electric wiring device according to claim 2 in which the pointed portion comprises a substantially flat lug provided with oppositely inclined side edges meeting at the point in substantial alignment with' the free end of the screw.

4. An electric wiring'device comprising spaced electrical contacts, a conductor strip extending between and connecting'said contacts, means for connecting a con ductor wire to said strip comprising a lug extending laterally at one side of the strip in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the strip and provided with an opening therethrough for insertion of a conductor wire transversely of the lug, the edge of the opening opposite to and facing said strip comprising a pointed portion extending toward the strip adapted to pierce an insulating covering on the wire and engage the wire to eifect an electrical contact therewith, and a screw threaded into an opening in the strip leading to the opening in the lug and opposite said pointed portion in position for the free end of the screw to engage the wire on the opposite side thereof from said edge and press the wire against the pointed portion to effect said engagement with the wire and connect the wire to the contacts.

5. An electric wiring device comprising spaced electr-ical contacts, a substantially flat conductor strip extending between and connecting said contacts, a substantially flat lug extending laterally at one side of the strip in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the strip and provided with an opening therethrough for insertion of a conductor Wire transversely of the lug, the edge of said opening opposite to and facing the strip including a pointed lug extending toward the strip adapted to pierce an insulating covering on the wire and engage the wire to efiect an electrical connection therewith, and a screw threaded into an opening in said strip leading to the opening in the lug and located opposite said pointed lug in position for the 'free end of the screw to engage the opposite side of the wire from said edge and press the wire against this lug to eifect said electrical connection with the wire and connect the wire to the contacts.

6. An electric wiring device according to claim 5 in which the pointed lug comprises a substantially flat lug provided with oppositely inclined side edges meeting at the point in substantial alignment with the free 'end of the screw.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,546,839 Klingel July 21, 1925 1,991,045 Becket Feb. 12, 1935 2,622,1i19 Hubbell Dec. 16, 1952 2,705,785 Benander Apr. 5, 1955 2,799,841 Macy July 16, 1957 

